Does your child ever hear you say, "I am sorry, I was wrong?"

I was wrong, this past Friday night was the latest time I was completely wrong. My daughter had gotten angry over not going to the Sonic before the football game. At the last minute she decided she wanted to go and of course it did not fit into our plans, so, we carried an angry 14 year old to the foootball game. My husband offered her a burger from the concession stand, but she did not want that. She wanted the Sante Fe grilled chicken salad from Sonic and it really is good, I must agree. Anyway, as disagreements often go, we held on to our position and said we were completely right. As our daughter found her friends and left us without the usual friendly goodbye, I felt low and much like I had just lost something of importance. She usually sits with us during the ballgame for a quarter or so, but tonight was going to be different. My husband and I talked about the incident and the possible options for a better outcome next time. As the game wore on, so did my heart. I realized, while there are going to disagreements and arguments, there should never be a knee-jerk reaction from me. I should never respond with anger or mean words. I am the grown-up here, aren't I? I did not feel so great a parent at this time. I might have won with the grounding and hurtful consequences, but I had not won with LOVE. I picked up my phone to send my daughter a text, telling her that I loved her and I missed sitting with her. I also told her I was WRONG in how I had responded to her. As I pushed the send button, her text came across the screen, "mom I am sorry, I just really wanted a salad but I should not have gotten so mad at you." When we later met back on the football field, after the game, she came to me with a smile. I hugged her a asked her if any of her friends neeeded a ride to the Fifth quarter party. I drove back home after dropping her off and thought about the next time. Life is too short and precious to leave angry. To be right in the wrong way had cost me time with my daughter Friday night and as I looked back on my mistake, I suddenly knew she would have learned a better lesson from me if I had been kinder, nicer and more patient.